Dashon Goldson expects camp return, better play in 2014

Posted by Josh Alper on May 20, 2014, 3:43 PM EDT

AP

Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson didn’t have a great first season with the Buccaneers after signing as a free agent, missing time due to both injuries and a suspension for repeated hits to the head and helping the team to dismal defensive results when he was on the field.

Goldson believes this year will be better. He said he’s “confident” he won’t have any more problems because of illegal hits and that his partnership with Mark Barron will be better now that they have spent a year together. Before Goldson can turn his full attention toward getting better on the field, he’ll need to recover from the foot surgery he had earlier in the offseason. It looks like that will have to wait until the summer.

“I think training camp will be a good timetable,” Goldson said, via ESPN.com. “Right now, I’m just relying on our training staff to get me back right.”

Coach Lovie Smith has stressed the importance of having strong safety play if Tampa is going to be successful on defense next season. Getting Goldson healthy and playing closer to the level expected when he signed a five-year, $41.25 million deal before last season would go a long way toward providing it.

And I cannot help wondering if there still aren’t folks that questioned my Niners letting this guy drift. I personally believe that the team was overjoyed when he made his “exit stage right” salary demands. I know I was.